Korean J Ophthalmol.  2013 Dec;27(6):440-445. 10.3341/kjo.2013.27.6.440.

Comparison between Glaucomatous and Non-glaucomatous Eyes with Unilateral Retinal Vein Occlusion in the Fellow Eye

• Kim S
• Sung KR
• Joe SG
• Kim JT
• Lee DH
• Lee JY
• Kim JG

• KMID: 1792080
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/kjo.2013.27.6.440

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate and compare the clinical and angiographic characteristics of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) in glaucomatous and non-glaucomatous eyes with unilateral RVO in the fellow eye.
METHODS
Twenty-one glaucomatous eyes (GL group) and 25 age-matched non-glaucomatous eyes (non-GL group) with unilateral RVO in the fellow eye were included in this study. Fluorescein angiographic images were assessed in both groups by 3 retina specialists in order to determine the RVO occlusion site. The occlusion site was divided into 2 types: arteriovenous (AV)-crossing and non-AV-crossing (optic cup or optic nerve sited). The clinical characteristics and prevalence of AV-crossing and non-AV-crossing RVO were compared between the 2 groups.
RESULTS
The mean baseline intraocular pressures of the RVO eye and the fellow eye did not differ between the 2 groups (RVO eye: 14.3 +/- 2.5 mmHg [non-GL group], 15.5 +/- 3.9 mmHg [GL group], p = 0.217; fellow eye: 14.4 +/- 2.5 mmHg [non-GL group], 15.7 +/- 3.7 mmHg [GL group], p = 0.148). The prevalence of systemic disease did not differ between the 2 groups (e.g., diabetes mellitus and hypertension, p = 0.802 and 0.873, respectively). AV-crossing RVO was significantly more frequent in the non-GL group (19 eyes; 76%) than in the GL group (4 eyes, 19%, p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Non-AV-crossing RVO, i.e., optic cup- or optic nerve-sited RVO, is more frequently associated with glaucomatous changes in the fellow eye. Therefore, this type of RVO should be monitored more carefully for indications of glaucoma in the fellow eye.

Keyword

Glaucoma; Retinal vein occlusion

MeSH Terms

Female
Fluorescein Angiography/*methods
Follow-Up Studies
Fundus Oculi
Glaucoma, Open-Angle/*diagnosis
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Retinal Vein Occlusion/*diagnosis
Retinal Vessels/*pathology
Retrospective Studies
Severity of Illness Index

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Clinical case of non-glaucomatous eye with unilateral retinal vein occlusion (RVO) in the fellow eye. This patient had arteriovenous crossing RVO in the right eye (A) and non-glaucomatous eye in the left (B).

• 

  Fig. 2 Clinical case of glaucomatous eye with unilateral retinal vein occlusion (RVO) in the fellow eye. This patient had glaucomatous eye in the right (A) and non-arteriovenous-crossing type RVO (B) in the left eye.

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